MANILA – Lanao del Norte voted against the inclusion of its six municipalities into the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the final but unofficial tally from the Provincial Plebiscite Board of Canvassers showed.
Based on the results released on Thursday evening, 157,629 voted against the inclusion of the towns of Tagoloan, Balo-i, Pantar, Munai, Nunungan, and Tangka to BARMM while 81,542 voted “yes.”
Among the towns where the “yes” votes had an overwhelming win were the six municipalities proposed for inclusion in the Bangsamoro and the neighboring Pantao Ragat, Poona Piagapo, and Salvador towns.
Meanwhile, those towns who voted against the inclusion of the six towns in BARMM were Kauswagan, Linamon, Matungao, Bacolod, Baroy, Kapatagan, Kolambogan, Lala, Maigo, Magsaysay, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Sapad, and Tubod.
Even if the six municipalities proposed to be included in the BARMM voted “yes”, they cannot still be included under the new Bangsamoro region since the “no” vote won in the whole province.
Lanao del Norte governor Imelda Dimaporo, who had been vocal in opposing the BARMM, said she hoped the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Commander Bravo will accept the result of the referendum.
“Sana naman irespeto niya. Irespeto niya dahil kami dito ay namumuhay kami nang peaceful sa Lanao del Norte,” Dimaporo said in a television interview.
BARMM replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with an expanded land and water jurisdiction, fiscal autonomy, increased share in national government resources, among others.
This is seen as the final step in the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been leading a separatist insurgency since the 1970s./PN
